Check out our interview with Italian 18-year-old DJ and Producer Pekka.
Making huge waves across the dance music world with his hypnotic sound and enchanting productions, eighteen-year-old Italian producer Pekka delivers his latest cut in the shape of Sensitive – out now on Swiss imprint PinkStarBlack.
Follow Pekka @pekkaofficial_
Hi Pekka, welcome to Naluda Magazine! Where are we speaking to you from today?
Hello to all readers, nice to meet you. I’m Pekka, I’m an 18 year old DJ and producer, I started doing my first work at the age of 11. I come from Pesaro, an Italian city. Right now I am in my studio with a guy who works with me listening to new releases for my next shows.
Can you tell us how you got into the music world?
I discovered electronic music when I was 11 years old and I was watching a YouTube video as background music there was an electronic song and I asked myself: how do you make this song? From there I discovered the world of electronic music and started watching videos on YouTube about how to produce.
Who were the producers that made you want to become a DJ?
There wasn’t a real producer or DJ that made me want to become a DJ, I started out out of curiosity, the first electronic song I heard was “Disconnected” by Pegboard Nerds when I started listening to many artists like Virtual Riot, Zomboy, Skrillex and many others. Listening to many songs I discovered that I loved music because it made me feel emotions I had never felt before, from playing them at friends’ first parties and I started producing my first songs and my first remixes, slowly I started releasing my first works.
Congratulations on your new track Sensitive! Can you tell us about it and what the process was like?
Thank you, the Sensitive track is based on the contrast between the very melodic intro that gives you the impression of being in space and the very deep and captivating drop.
The idea for this song came to me one night when I was playing with my synth and I had the idea of arpeggio, then I decided to completely change the mood of the song and it worked.
How was it working with Swiss label PinkStar Black?
This is my first collaboration with PinkStarBlack and so far I’m very happy. They’re giving me a lot of visibility in the world of electronic music. I had been aiming for this label for a long time and wanted to propose some of my works to, I wanted to be convinced of what I would send. Fortunately the time that has passed has helped me to make works that have been appreciated by the label. My patience was rewarded because the label immediately approved my songs.
What do you think makes you stand out from other DJs out there?
I don’t know exactly what I have different from other artists, the thing I try to do in my tracks is to express more deeply what I feel inside by experimenting with different sounds using my synths to try to create something different.
What were the highlights of 2022 for you?
Actually, the whole of 2022 was the most important moment because I had the opportunity to start performing in many clubs and I felt very good everywhere. Let’s see in the future that there will be something that will make my eyes shine even more.
What do you hope to achieve in 2023?
In 2023 I hope to continue with this positive trend that is helping me introduce myself to the world of electronic music. I hope to meet many DJs and artists in person, do some collaborations with them and play in important festivals together.
When all the partying is over how do you like to chill out?
When I finish playing at a club I usually stay in the club to interact with the people who have come to hear me. I really like this moment because it is a moment of entertainment that I enjoy so much in the evening.
Best stage you have ever played?
As I said before this was my departure year and honestly in all the clubs where I played I felt very good, let’s see what the future holds for me
What advice would you give to aspiring musicians?
The best advice I can give to an aspiring musician is to know and listen to as much music as possible to get more inspiration and ideas while creating a new track. Another piece of advice I can give is to never give up. it’s very important that no one should be disappointed if they don’t like a song they’re making, you have to bring it back and try it again. however you go, making music is always nice.
Best and worst thing about your job?
The best thing about my job is that it coincides with my passion, which is music and so I don’t really feel the burden of “work”. obviously being a DJ doesn’t have only positive aspects, in fact one bad thing about my job is that it’s very stressful, you have to do a lot of songs, projects and keep your fans active using social media, especially on weekends you sleep very little and you work when your friends are having fun or meeting up.
Who would be your dream to work with?
My dream is to collaborate with as many artists as possible to know every aspect and style of different music, some names I would like to collaborate with are: Biscits, Chris Lake, Dom Dolla and many others.
Best track to get the party started?
Since the beginning of a set in my opinion is one of the most important moments of the performance I look for general use of my unreleased productions.
Best track to wind the night down?
I usually end my sets with a very melodic track to greet and thank the audience.
Your idea of a perfect Sunday is?
My perfect Sunday is movies, video games and sofa. I use Sunday to relax and recharge for the week
What do you like to watch on TV?
On TV, I watch movies carefree. I prefer movies to TV shows, but I’m in love with the show called “Stranger Things.”
What is your favorite healthy food?
My favorite healthy food is salad.
And your favorite cheat food?
My favorite food is a sandwich with breaded cutlets.
Where we can follow you?
You can follow me on: Instagram, SoundCloud and TikTok
Holiday Destination: Ibiza
Drink: Non-alcoholic cocktails
Celebrity Crush: I don’t know what to answer, there are too many!
Song: Europe – The Final Countdown
Sports Team: The only sport I follow is the Olympics and I’m rooting for Italy!
Movie: Scary Movie
